SmackDown Countdown 2004: Batista

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Evolution's giant enforcer is ready for action.

By Jeremy Dunham

To call it IGN's most popular recurring feature would be an understatement. And to think that we would ever let a year go by where we didn't revisit the famed SmackDown Countdown is a serious mistake on all parts. So for this, our fourth consecutive year, your friends here at IGNPS2 have returned to the squared circle to once bring you just one step closer to the men and women that do so much to make THQ's successful wrestling franchise what it is: awesome.

And fittingly enough, this year's edition of the fashionable franchise is easily its most ambitious version to date, as WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW marks the first time in the series' history that it takes a step into the online arena. And though this new version does suffer from a slightly smaller roster when compared to last year's Here Comes the Pain, it still manages to pack in an incredible amount of new features that should more than make up for the lack of wrestlers. Refined graphics, smarter AI, better grappling mechanics, and an improved presentation are just a few of the improvements worth mentioning; with several other more subtle refinements, best left for you to the gamer to uncover.

In the meantime, we're dedicating ourselves to bringing our fans the best damn SmackDown coverage they could ever hope for. As we're spending the next seven weeks highlighting all 52 current and legendary superstars on the SmackDown vs. RAW roster in a way we haven't done before. So to do things a little bit differently, we're going to reward dedicated wrestling fans by giving them two wrestlers every Monday and Thursday (the nights that SmackDown! and RAW air on television) in addition to our solo updates on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. When we reach the legends in our countdown, we'll go ahead and up the ante again by providing you with two of them every day until we've reached all eleven. Sound good? Thought so!

But enough with the setup already, let's get the show on the road! So sit back, relax, and enjoy today's Countdown superstar, Batista!

Height: 6'5"

Hometown: Washington, DC

Weight:317lbs

When Triple H and Ric Flair went looking for a muscular enforcer for Evolution, they didn't have to look far. They chose the massive Batista, a fierce-looking gladiator whose muscles look as though they were chiseled from granite.

During his short time in WWE, Batista has made great strides and shows tremendous promise for future domination. A relative newcomer who was trained by the legendary Wild Samoan and former World Tag Team Champion, Afa, Batista has quickly established himself as a World Title contender.

Originally an enforcer for D-Von Dudley, this massive man plays second fiddle to no one. He has scored victories over Kane, and left Chris Benoit unconscious in the ring.

Having learned from the best, Ric Flair and Triple H, he now displays the smarts to go along with his overwhelming power. Batista won his first championship when he teamed with Flair to defeat the Dudleys &#Array; the most decorated tag champs of all time &#Array; for the World Tag Team Championship at Armageddon 2003. As one of the most promising Superstars on RAW, and one of the most impressive physical specimens in the sport's history, Batista clearly has the potential to dominate like few before him.

That's it for today's installment of the 2004 SmackDown Countdown. We'll be back again tomorrow with our next superstar (keep in mind that all statistical attributes are considered temporary until the final version of the game ships this November). In the meantime, check our table below for links to the superstars we've already covered and for hints as to who you can expect to see next. See you again real soon!